From Trays to Tube Feedings: Overcoming the Challenges of Hospital Nutrition and Glycemic Control

Abstract

In Brief

Nutrition is one of the most complex aspects of glycemic control for hospitalized patients. Commonly cited recommendations encourage individualization of the nutrition care plan based on treatment goals and suggest that liberalization of the hospital diet improves nutritional intake. The addition of glycemic control targets complicates the nutrition care process further; indeed, providing appropriate nourishment and achieving glycemic control safely can sometimes seem impossible. But it can be done. This article focuses on some of the problems involved in trying to achieve these dual goals. It includes creative and practical solutions used by clinicians who have faced this challenge and suggests innovative changes that may be considered as part of hospital improvement initiatives to address glycemic control.